Times are changing.
For the better, in fact.
In a couple moves that might upset the same people who were sad to see CMU outgrow the Mesa State moniker, the University could raise the admission index score.
The index, based on a combination of GPA and ACT/SAT score, boils down high school performance to a single number. This number gives admissions a clear idea of who can and can’t succeed in college.
CMU plans to change the required index score to 92 for fully admitted Baccalaureate seeking students, with a provisional admittance for students in the 80-91 range. Everyone below that is shipped to WCCC for a more appropriate entry point.
College isn’t for everyone.
This statement might make mothers everywhere cringe, but not every single person can succeed at higher education. One of the clearest indicators of whether or not a student can succeed is their index score.
Students with an index score below 92 are much more likely to drop out, semester to semester. Students with index scores lower than 92 drop out 20% more frequently each term than students with an index score of 92 and up. Students with an index score below 92, cumulatively, averaged a 1.78 in their first term and 1.55 in their second term at CMU. On average, students below a 92 land well below the requirement to be academically eligible. If a student can’t master ACT level math, what makes anyone think that student can succeed in college math?
It also accurately reflects what kind of high school students want to attend CMU. For the 2011-12 academic year, 79 percent of first time, four-year degree seeking students at CMU had an index of 92 and up.
There’s nothing wrong with competing with Colorado State, UC- Colorado Springs, and Northern Colorado. The idea that everyone is entitled to a degree is a joke. Students who slacked or struggled in high school can attend WCCC and get the support they need so they can be retained from semester to semester. That support is needed so they can succeed at a normal college level. The index cut off of 92 perfectly reflects where students need to be successful. It isn’t a personal slight, it’s not to say that you can’t get a degree, it’s just the way it is. Students who are under 92 need that support or they are significantly more likely to fail, and this gives the support to them.